Circular independent needle knitting machine



March 9, 1943. H. H. HOLMES arm. 2,313,642

CIRCULAR INDEPENDENT NEEDLE KNITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 30, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 I I VVENTO ILAHLLQ, mun IIIIu um): bll nuur 11 March 1943- :i. H. HOLMES ETAL 2,313,642

CIRCULAR INDEPENDENT NEEDLE KNITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 30, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1,441 1W MWW 7 pa)! Q4 W9 March 9, 1943. H. H. HOLMES EI'AL CIRCULAR INDEPENDENT NEEDLE KNITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 30, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 4 m F Br y L h vV//// r///// /v// f ////N///// r V 4 v m G a z F ATTOFNEV Ti. 4i

Patented Mar. 9, 1943 CIRCULAR INDEPENDENT NEEDLE KNITTING MACHINE Henry Harold Holmes and Alfred Percy Saunders, Leicester, England, assignors to Wildt and Company Limited, Leicester, England, a British company Application December 30, 1941, Serial No. 424,980 In Great Britain February 21, 1941 11 Claims.

This invention relates to circular independent needle knitting machines, and has reference to knitting machines of this type which employ picker systems or mechanisms for automatically narrowing and widening fabric produced by reciprocating knitting.

The present invention is advantageously applicable to machines of the kind adapted to operate periodically with rotary reciprocatory motion as well as with rotary motion for the purpose of producing tubular knitted fabric or articles with pouches, such, for example, as seamless hosiery with heel and toe pouches, the picker systems or mechanisms being rendered operative during the rotary reciprocatory motion for the purpose of automatically narrowing and widening such pouches.

The invention is further advantageously applicable and indeed is intended for application principally to circular knitting machines of the double axially opposed needle cylinder type, and especially to machines of this type furnished with double-ended latch needles and associated sliders whereby needles can be transferred from one cylinder to the other for changing the character of the knitting, as, for example, from plain to rib, or from one rib combination to another, or for producing purl or fancy rib stitch effects, with all of which those familiar with the art are well acquainted.

In machines equipped with picker systems or mechanisms of conventional character and arrangement the needles rendered inactive during reciprocating knitting are usually caused to take up a clearing or rest position, known as the heeling height in a seamless hosiery machine. In a machine of the type employing latch needles the old loops are located below the latches when the needles take up this position. Moreover, in

a machine which operates with both rotary and reciprocatory motion, as aforesaid, the needles are divided into two groups each containing about half of the full complement of needles, and for reciprocating knitting the needles of one group are moved scriatim to the aforesaid clearing or rest position while for narrowing the needles of the other group which remain in position to knit are influenced by the picker system or mechanism so that one needle is moved to the clearing or rest position at each stroke of reciprocating knitting, and, for widening, the needles thus previously rendered inactive are brought back to the knitting position one or two at a time, i. e. at each stroke of reciprocating knitting. In a seamlcss hosiery knitting machine the needles which are moved seriatim to and temporarily remain in the clearing or rest position are referred to as the instep needles and those which function during reciprocating knitting are referred to as the heel and toe needles. The movement of latch needles to the said clearing or rest position in the conventional manner sometimes produces disadvantageous results, such as in pattern producing machines and wrap striping machines, interruption of the pattern effect for at least a partial course, when circular knitting is resumed, which impairs the appearance of the resultant knitted fabric or articles. Also in clearing the loops and bringing needles down to a satisfactory low level for needle selection, the loops are positioned under the latches which are required to be open; this restricts the low level and at the same time imparts undue strain on both latches and loops.

The present invention has for its object to improve circular knitting machines with respect to the disposition of the needles in an inactive position during reciprocating knitting whereby disadvantages such as those aforesaid are ob viated.

Specific examples of the invention as applied to a circular knitting machine of the superimposed rotary needle cylinder type for knitting seamless hosiery will now be described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, wherein,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of so much of a non-pattern producing machine of this type as is necessary to illustrate the application of the invention thereto,

Figures 2 and 2A illustrate the cam systems and picker mechanisms of the said machine as seen from inside the cam boxes thereof,

Figure 3 is a detail vertical sectional view of a modification applied to a pattern producing machine,

Figure 4 illustrates one form of needle selecting means with which the last mentioned machine may be furnished,

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic lay-out of the knitting butts of the bottom sliders of the machine, and

Figures 6 and 7 are front and side elevational views respectively of one of the narrowing picker mountings.

Like parts are designated by similar reference characters throughout the drawings.

In Figure l, the bottom or plain cylinder and the superimposed top or rib cylinder of the machine are shown at 2 and 3 respectively. The

machine is furnished with double-ended latch needles such as 4 having in association therewith bottom sliders 5 and top sliders 6. Each of the sliders 5 is provided with a knitting butt 1 (or 1 and a transfer butt 8, while each top slider 6 is similarly provided with knitting and transfer butts 9 and Ill respectively. For the sake of simplicity in illustration the top cam box has been omitted, although the opposed bottom cam box is indicated at H. In contra-distinction to normal practice, and as depicted in Figure 5, the bottom sliders 5 of the group A associated with the instep needles have short knitting butts 1 whereas the group B associated with the heel and toe needles have long knitting butts 1. The knitting butt shown in full lines in Figure l is, of course, a long one.

The cam systems of the machine are of a more or less conventional character. Thus, as will be seen from a consideration of Figure 2, the plain knitting cam system includes a forward stitch cam l2 having combined therewith a clearing cam i3, a reverse stitch cam l4 similarly combined with a clearing cam IS, a fixed centre guide cam l6, lower guard earns 11 and 18 disposed beneath the stitch cams, a guard cam l 9 of elongated form which is provided in advance of the aforesaid reverse stitch cam, and a bottom transfer cam 20. The opposed rib knitting cam system includes a rib stitch cam 2|, an associated clearing cam 22 and a top transfer cam 23. The direction of rotation of the opposed cylinders within the stationary cam boxes during circular knitting is indicated by the arrow C in Figure 2.

As will be appreciated, therefore, apart from the lay-out of the knitting butts on the bottom sliders 5, which is a departure from and the reverse of normal practice, the machine so far described is of usual construction. Now, according to the present invention there is provided in the bottom cam box ll, immediately in advance of the plain knitting cam system, a cam 24 which is movable into and out of an operative position in the track of the knitting butts I and 1 at what is substantially the knocking-over level D. When in its operative position the cam 24 directs all of the knitting butts 1 and 1 into engagement with the clearing cam l5 and thence into engagement with the forward stitch cam i2 for circular knitting. But when moved out of the operative position preparatory to reciprocating knitting, the cam 24 allows the knitting butts concerned to remain at the level D and so avoid the clearing and stitch cams I5 and I2. Consequently, when the cam 24 is operative it ensures that all of the needles 4 in the bottom cylinder 2 clear and knit, and when it is inoperative it permits appropriate needles to remain in the knocking-over position, or substantially so, which is the non-knitting position hereinbefore described, and to which the needles are automatically moved by the forward stitch cam l2. Actually, the guard cams l1 and I8 below the forward and reverse stitch cams are formed with slight elevations 25 whereby the needles are slightly raised after knocking-over to relieve the tension on the loops located in the hooks 4a of the needles. The movable cam 24 may be either a bolt cam so that it can be pushed into and withdrawn from the operative position, or a pivoted switch cam so that it can be turned into and out of the operative position. The said cam, moreover, is placed under the control of appropriate timing mechanism and intermediate connections (not shown) of any conventional character for movement automatically into and out of the operative position at the required times, and the mechanism is timed to operate to render the cam inactive after engagement with the short butts l preparatory to a change being made from circular knitting to reciprocating knitting. In the particular example now being described, there are provided under the heel and toe group B of sliders 5 having the long knitting butts 1 individually movable picking jacks 26 each with a butt 2! at its upper end. Below the forward and reverse stitch cams there are provided upthrow cams 28 and 29 which are so formed and arranged as to be capable of engaging jack butts 21 disposed in an active track at the level E, and thereupon raising the required jacks on the forward and reverse strokes of reciprocating knitting suchwise that the knitting butts I of the heel and toe sliders are landed onto the forward and reverse clearing cams l5 and i3 and thereby caused to engage the corresponding stitch cams l2 and I4 respectively whereby the associated needles are caused to knit. The machine is furnished with a pair of narrowing pickers-one, 30, in advance of the forward upthrow cam 28 and the other, 3|, in advance of the reverse upthrow cam 29. The purpose of these pickers is to engage the butts 21 of desired picking jacks 25 on the forward and reverse strokes of reciprocating knitting, and thereby depress said jacks one at a time to, or nearly to, a level F below the level E and the upthrow cams so that the corresponding sliders 5 will be permitted to avoid engagement with the forward and reverse clearing cams and the companion needles consequently remain in the non-knitting position for narrowing. Two levelling or guard cams 32 and 33 are arranged below the upthrow cams 28 and 28 respectively, for engagement with the butts 21 of those jacks which are picked down by the narrowing pickers suchwise as to maintain said jacks at the lower, i. e. inactive, level F during the narrowing action. The said levelling or guard cams 32 and 33 are combined with jack raising cam parts 34 and 35 adapted to raise to the level E the butts 21 of jacks pushed down as a result of appropriate sliders being disposed with the needles in the non-knitting position as aforesaid.

It is convenient here to mention that the forward and reverse stitch cams I 2 and I4 and the clearing cams combined therewith are movable and adapted to be partially withdrawn whenever a change from circular to reciprocating knitting is to be effected to miss the short butts 1 The reader is invited to imagine that the last full revolution of the cylinders prior to initiation of a change to reciprocatory motion is in progress. During this revolution and when the last short butt 1 has passed over it the cam 24 is rendered completely inactive, whereafter the combined forward and reverse stitch and clearing cams are partially withdrawn as aforesaid. The change is now made. At the first stroke of reciprocating knitting (which, of course, is a reverse stroke in the direction of the arrow G) all of the instep sliders will therefore move idly with their knitting butts 1 at the level D and the companion needles in the non-knitting position; during this stroke, moreover, the butts 21 of all of the jacks 26 will be engaged by the reverse upthrow cam 29 with the result that said jacks will raise all of the heel and toe sliders seriatim to such a height as to land their long knitting butts I onto the reverse clearing cam l3. These long butts will thereupon first be Search Room raised to clearing height and then descend at the reverse stitch cam l4 so that all of the companion heel and toe needles will be caused to clear and knit to produce a complete half course of knitting. As a result of the long butts I being depressed by the cam l4, all of the jacks 26 are lowered so that their butts 21 are brought into the track between the upthrow cam 23 and the levelling or guard cam 32 and subsequently raised into the active track at the level E by means of the jack raising cam portion 34. After all of the butts 21 have passed the narrowing picker 30 the latter is released, and the motion of the cylinders is changed to efiect the second, i. e. a forward, stroke of reciprocating knitting in the direction of the arrow C. Upon release, the said narrowing picker initially drops from its normal inoperative position to the level E where it receives the foremost butt 21 of the series and then immediately moves downwards to pick down the corresponding jack and direct the said butt into engagement with the lower edge of the levelling or guard cam 32. The jack thus picked down is rendered inactive and maintained with its butt 21 in the inactive track at the level F for the remainder of the narrowing action. The heel and toe needle corresponding to th last mentioned jack consequently also remains inactive in the non-knitting position. Meanwhile the butts of the remaining jacks 26 are engaged by the forward upthrow cam 28 so that the corresponding heel and toe sliders are raised and their long knitting butts I landed onto the forward clearing cam I5. During this forward stroke, therefore, the said long knitting butts are raised by the cam l and depressed by the forward stitch cam I2 so that all of the heel and toe needles, with the exception of the endmost one permitted to remain inactive, again clear and knit. By reason of depression of the heel and toe sliders by the cam I2, the corresponding jacks 26 are pushed down to such an extent as to direct their butts 21 into the track between the upthrow cam 29 and the levelling or guard cam 33. The jack raising cam portion 35by action upon the said butts 2 l-thereupon functions to raisethe latter seriatim into the active track at the level E. After these butts have passed the narrowing picker 3|, the motion of the cylinders is again reversed and the said picker is released to pick down and render inactive the appropriate jack 26. The butt 21 of this jack is engaged by the lower edge of the levelling or guard cam 33 and moved to the level F, the remaining active butts 21 meanwhile passing to the reverse upthrow cam 29 where they are lifted to raise the associated sliders and bring the long knitting butts 1 thereof into the range of the plain knitting cam system so that the companion needles once again clear and knit. As a result of these knitting butts being engaged and depressed by the reverse stitch cam I, the corresponding jacks 26 are lowered so that their butts 21 are brought into the track between the upthrow cam 23 and the levelling or guard cam 32 and subsequently raised into the active track at the level E by means of the cam portion 34 all as hereinbefore described. Then, after passage of the butts 21 so raised beyond the now active narrowing picker 30 in the direction of the arrow G, the said picker is enabled to assume its mid, i. e. operative, position at the level E in readiness to receive the foremost butt 2'! at the next forward stroke of reciprocating knitting. And so the narrowing action proceeds, one jack 26 being picked down and rendered inactive, alternately from opposite ends of the group of such Jacks, at each successive stroke of reciprocating knitting. Throughout the narrowing action all of the short butts I remain at the level D, and when once a jack 26 has been picked down the long butt 1 of the corresponding slider will similarly remain at this level. Consequently, all of the instep needles and the progressively increasing number of heel and toe needles will be inactive in the aforesaid non-knitting position for th duration of the narrowing action, as will be readily understood by those acquainted with the art.

Circumferentially spaced from the upthrow cams 28 and 29 and located at a slightly lower level is a pair of raising cams 36 and 31, and between these cams i a widening picker 39 adapted to engage the butts 21 of the jacks 26 at the level F and to pick them up two at a time on the forward and reverse strokes of reciprocating knitting for the purpose of landing them onto the raising cams with the result that the said Jacks are restbred to their original level E, whereupon they engage the upthrow cams 26 and 29 and the corresponding sliders are lifted to engage the forward and reverse clearing cams whereby the assoicated needles are caused to resume knitting for widening.

As hereinbefore alluded to, and as indicated in Figure 2, the narrowing pickers 30 and 3| are maintained in an inoperative position during circular knitting with their operative ends located above the normal level E of the butts 21 on the jacks, and when released at the required times said pickers move down to position their operative ends at the said level. It is to be understood, of course, that although there are only two narrowing pickers, three separate positions occupied by each of said pickers are indicated in Figure 2viz. the inoperative position, the position to which the picker drops when released and the position occupied by the picker after it has moved downwards to pick down a jack. The widening picker 38 is maintained in an inoperative position during circular knitting and narrowing actions with its operative end located midway between the normal level E and the lower level F of the jack butts 21 (see full line position in Figure 2) and when released at the appropriate times the said picker moves down into a gap or recess 39a in an annular support 39 to position its operative end to receive butts 21 at the said lower level. A position of the widening picker, when moving upwards to land butts onto a raising cam, is also indicated. The construction and operation of the pickers and the controlling means therefor may be generally of the conventional character usually employed in circular seamless hosiery machines except, of course, that the pickers function in the reverse manner, that is to say the narrowing pickers move downwards instead of upwards and the widening picker moves upwards instead of downwards during the picking actions. The narrowing pickers may, nevertheless, each be mounted and controlled in the special manner hereinafter to be described.

In a pattern producing knitting machine the picker jacks provided under the heel and toe group B (Figure 5) of the sliders 6 may be utilised for patteming'purposes in conjunction with patterning jacks under the instep group A of said sliders. To this end the picker jacks may be made longer than those employed in a nonpatterning machine and may be furnished with patterning butts or have associated therewith patterning elements with patterning butts for selective actuation in an appropriate manner by patterning mechanism of any appropriate character, such as a. rotary selecting device, or pattern controlled variable selecting means, of one of the several forms now known to those familiar with the art. For example, and as illustrated in Figure 3, the said jacks, one of which is represented at 26 may be formed with springy stems such as 26a adapted to be pressed back in their tricks 2a by means of pressers 40 having contrasting or differentiated patterning butt formations 4! thereon and located in front of the stems 26a in the same tricks, and pattern controlling variable selecting means are provided which comprise a bank of selecting cams 42 (see Figure 4) and a pattern controlling unit (not shown) for automatically operating the cams selectively in order to act upon the pressers 40 so that corresponding jacks 26 are pressed back in their tricks 2a in relation to an operating cam 43 in consequence of which the needles are selec tively operated in an appropriate manner for patterning. Conveniently the jacks 26 are provided with operating butts 44 for engagement with the cam 43. Patterning jacks precisely similar to the picking jacks 26 just described, but with the upper batts 21 omitted, would in this example be provided below the instep sliders, i. e. the bottom sliders 5 having the short butts 1 along with associated pressers 40. This patterning system may be used for producing fancy stitch effects by any of the known methods, including the production of wrap striping effects on single or two or more needles at a time. Means may advantageously be provided for rendering the patterning mechanism inoperative at required times, such as by moving the pattern controlling unit to an inoperative position, or nullifying the selective action, during reciprocating knitting, and for producing half round patterned areas such as patterned instep portions of seamless hosiery in conjunction with plain foot bottoms. Such means may be of any convenient character controlled from the timing or controlling mechanism of the machine.

The rib knitting cam system of either of the machines herein described may be of usual form including a ribbing cam and a welt cam. Alternatively, and as shown in Figure 2, the cam system in the rib cam box may be modified by the substitution of one cam 45 for the two aforesaid, the substitute cam being movable into and out of an operative position in the track of the knitting butts 9 of the top sliders 6 at or substantially at knocking-over level H immediately in advance of the rib knitting cam system, so that when in the operative position it directs the said butts onto the clearing cam 22 in consequence of which needles in the rib cylinder are caused to knit, and, when in the inoperative position, the said movable cam 45 permits the butts 9 to remain at the level H so that knit ,ing on the rib needles is suspended. as for example during the production of welts. The movable cam 24 in the plain cam box ll may also be utilised for the production of a reverse welt, as by rendering it inoperative during circular knitting. However, at such times as the cam 24 is rendered inoperative during circular knitting for the purpose just described, it is also necessary to withdraw the upthrow cam 28 and to enable this to be done the latter is made movable to and from an operative position. The three movable cams 24, 28, 45 are appropriately controlled from the timing or controlling mechanism of the machine through intermediate connections of any conventional character so as to enable them to be rendered inoperative at appropriate times. As will be understood, the movable cam 45 may also be rendered inoperative during reciprocating knitting so that the rib sliders 6, may remain idle at the level H.

In addition to obviating the disadvantages hereinbefore mentioned, the present improvement applied to a circular knitting machine of the double axially opposed cylinder type furnished with double-ended needles and sliders is advantageous in that it is not necessary to provide a movable cam automatically controlled to move the sliders in the rib cylinder to a latch guarding position, as in the case when needles in the plain cylinder are moved to a clearing position preparatory to and during reciprocating knitting as heretofore. It is, however, preferred to provide a latch guard 46 in the form of an arcuate strip of an appropriate circumferential extent and in a suitable position circumferentially and axially in relation to the needle cylinders. Axially, the latch guarding strip 45 is disposed on a level with the nibs of the conventional holding down sinkers or web holders 4! (Figure l) and there is a space or gap between the opposite ends of said strip at the stitch drawing location to permit of outward projection of the sinkers or web holders. 48 represents the combined feeder plate and latch guard customarily provided in machines of the characteristic type concerned.

Immediately in advance of the top transfer cam 23 there is provided a cam 49 which is movable from an inoperative position indicated in dotand-dash lines to the operative position shown in full lines. At such times as needles 4 are to be transferred downwards from the top cylinder 3 to the bottom cylinder 2, the cam 49 is rendered operative and thereupon serves to direct transfer butts 10 into engagement with the transfer cam 23. When, however, needles are being transferred from the bottom cylinder to the top cylinder, the cam 49 is employed to advance rib sliders to such an extent as to be capable of receiving needles from opposite sliders 5 advanced by the bottom transfer cam 20. In the bottom cam box there is provided a movable cam 50 which, when in the full line position, merely functions to guard jack butts 21 elevated by the raising cam 31 during widening operations. When moved to the position indicated in dot-and-dash lines, however, the said cam 50 is capable of engaging transfer butts 8 for the purpose of raising bottom sliders 5 to such anextent as to enable them to receive needles from opposite sliders 6 advanced, i. e. depressed, by the top transfer cam 23. During transference of needles 4 from the top cylinder to the bottom cylinder, the rib sliders 6 advanced as just described are acted upon and moved outwards by the customary dividing cam 5|. Such outward movement of said sliders is permitted by reason of the latch guarding strip 46 being recessed somewhat at 45c (see Figure 2). Similarly, during transference of needles from the bottom cylinder to the top cylinder, sliders 5 advance by the transfer cam 20 are acted upon by the dividing cam 52 and moved outwards into a recess 46b formed in the strip 46 aforesaid.

If desired, although this is not essential, a switch cam such as 53 (Figure 4) may be provided in advance of the cams 28 and 32 for engagement with butts 21 to put all of the jacks 26 (or 26 either-into or out of action according to !UIILLQ, nun l 1....

requirements. Normally, such a cam would be maintained in the neutral position, shown in full lines, so as not to affect the jacks. If and when turned upwardly the cam 53 would function to depress butts 21 so as to bring them into the inactive track at the level F, whereas if the cam was turned down the said butts would be elevated into the active track at the level E. Since there are picking jacks 26 (or 26) only approximately halfway round the cylinder 2, there would be sufficient time to operate the switch cam 53 without collision with butts 21.

In the specific examples disclosed each of the narrowing pickers 30 and 3| may conveniently be resiliently mounted in the manner now to be described with reference to Figures 6 and 7. Although only the mounting for the picker 3| is shown in these figures, it is to be understood that a similar mounting but of opposite hand is adopted for the picker 3!]. As will be seen, the said picker is mounted to swing upon a pivot 54 (Figure 7) which is carried by a picker bracket 55. This bracket is attached by screws 56 to the bottom cam box II, or to any other convenient stationary part of the machine. The outwardly directed tail portion 3Ia of the picker extends between two levers 51 and 58 which latter are fulcrumed to turn upon a screw 59 screwed into an upstanding lug 55a on the bracket 55. The levers 51 and 58 are connected together, between their ends, by a small tension spring 60 functioning normally to maintain the levers in contact with the aforesaid tail portion 3la. Each of the said levers carries an adjusting screw 6| the leading end of which contacts a pin 62 fixed in the picker bracket 55. Locknuts 63 are provided for the purpose of locking the screws 6| after adjustment. By appropriate manipulation of the adjusting screws, the position of the operative end of the picker 3| in relation to the picking butts 21 can be varied and thereby accurately set to receive butts at appropriate times during a narrowing action. The construction is, of course, such that any movement of the picker either to the left or to the right of the position indicated in Figure 6 will take place against the action of the spring 60. Thus, upward swinging movement of the picker into its normal inoperative position above the level E will be against the spring action; downward movement of the picker to the level E upon its release will be under the influence of the spring, and further downward movement of said picker towards the level F to pick down a jack will be against the spring action. When the mounting is in position on the machine the line aa is parallel to the axis of the cylinders so that the swinging movements of the picker take place in an inclined plane.

The following brief description of successive stages in the making of a stocking on, say, the non-pattern producing machine herein described will serve further to elucidate the operation of the cam systems and picker mechanism:

It will be assumed that the stocking is com menced at the top. First of all a welt is made by withdrawing the cam 45, or the cams 24 and 28, depending on the type of welt required, whereafter the said cam or cams is or are again rendered operative and a rib top is produced on needles 4 some of which are in the bottom cylinder and others in the top cylinder. The cams 23, 49 and 50 are thereupon brought into action to effect transference of needles from the top cylinder to the bottom cylinder preparatory to knitting the leg. As the needles in the top cyl- CEGi'Cll mom inder are advanced for transfer, loops are cleared from their lower latches and remain on the needle stems. After such transfer of needles the upper latches of all the needles in the bottom cylinder are open. At this stage the old loops are under the said latches of the transferred needles, but on the latches of the needles previously in the bottom cylinder, i. e. the non-transferred needles. The latch guarding strip 46 guards these latches until the needles are behind the latch guard 48. The cams 23, 49 and 50 are then withdrawn from action, thereby leaving the needles at a low level. Knitting of the leg continues until the heel is reached, whereupon the cams 24 and 45 are completely withdrawn, the aforesaid combined forward and reverse stitch and clearing cams are partially withdrawn and the narrowing pickers are released to initiate a narrowing action. Also the rotary motion of the machine is changed to rotary reciprocatory motion and, upon termination of narrowing, the widening picker is brought into action to co-operate with the narrowing pickers to make the customary 2 x 1 join, and after completion of the heel the cams 24 and 45 and the forward and reverse cams last mentioned are brought into action for circular knitting. The foot is then made whereupon the picker mechanism is once again brought into operation, as in the heel, for narrowing and widening the toe pouch during reciprocating knitting.

A further advantage is derived from the provision of separate jacks in conjunction with the picker mechanism since the frictional resistance of the jacks is less than that ofiered by needles and sliders so that the pickers have less work to do against friction; also the picker action is entirely free of sliders ensuring less butt breakage.

As will be appreciated, the hereinbefore described improvement may be applied to plain knitting machines, in which instance jacks of the form shown in Figure 1 would be used in the needle cylinder for direct contact with needles therein, and rib machines of the cylinder and dial type, as well as to machines of the double axially opposed cylinder type, and, in the case of the latter, to machines equipped with singleended needles in both cylinders instead of doubleended needles and sliders. Similarly, when patterning is required the needles themselves or appropriate associated elements may be provided with patterning butts.

While the invention is intended for application primarily to circular latch needle machines of the type described, it may if desired be applied to machines of this type equipped with bearded needles, and it is also applicable to machines equipped with stationary cylinders and rotary cam boxes as well as to machines having rotary cylinders and stationary cam boxes.

What we claim then is:

1. In a circular knitting machine of the kind adapted to operate with rotary reciprocatory motion as well as rotary motion, in combination, two groups of independent needles one only of which groups is employed for reciprocating knitting, forward and reverse clearing and stitch cams for causing said needles to clear and knit, a movable cam adapted, in one position, to enable the needles of both groups to be influenced by the forward clearing and stitch cams so that said needles all clear and knit during circular knitting and, when caused to assume another position preparatory to a change being made from circular knitting to reciprocating knitting, to enable all of the needles of both groups to be located in substantially the knocking-over position to which position said needles are automatically moved by the forward stitch cam, and a picker system which thereafter functions to determine the positions of the needles in the group required for reciprocating knitting while the needles of the other group remain wholly inactive.

2. In a circular knitting machine of the kind adapted to operate with rotary reciprocatory motion, in combination, a plain needle cylinder, an axially opposed rib needle cylinder, independent double-ended needles in said cylinders, sliders in said cylinders for operating said needles, means for causing the needles to clear and knit, means for enabling all of said needles to assume substantially a knocking-over position preparatory to reciprocating knitting, jacks located in the plain cylinder for contact with sliders engaged with needles which are to be employed for reciprocating knitting, narrowing and widening pickers for action upon said jacks, and cams in conjunction with which the pickers and jacks operate for effecting narrowing and widening actions, the construction and arrangement being such that said pickers function to move engaged jacks in relation to the last mentioned cams suchwise that needles corresponding with jacks affected by the narrowing pickers are permitted to maintain the aforesaid knocking-over position while the remaining needles clear and knit, and, when the same jacks are affected by a widening picker, the corresponding needles are caused to resume knitting.

3. In a circular knitting machine adapted to operate with rotary reciprocatory motion as well as rotary motion, in combination, a plain needle cylinder, a superimposed rib needle cylinder, double-ended needles in said cylinders, sliders in said cylinders for operating said needles, the sliders in the plain cylinder being divided into two groups having knitting butts of respectively different lengths, a bottom cam box which surrounds the plain cylinder and incorporates a knitting cam system including forward and reverse clearing and stitch cams for causing plain needles to clear and knit, a movable cam which is provided in advance of the plain knitting cam system and is movable into and out of an operative position in the track of the knitting butts at substantially the knocking-over level, said cam when operative serving to direct the knitting butts into engagement with the forward clearing and stitch cams for circular knitting and, when moved out of the operative position preparatory to reciprocating knitting, allowing all of said butts to remain at the aforesaid level, and a picker system which functions to determine the positions of the needles in one of the groups during reciprocating knitting while the needles of the other group remain wholly inactive in the knocking-over position.

4. In a circular seamless hosiery knitting machine, in combination, a plain needle cylinder, a superimposed rib needle cylinder, double-ended needles in said cylinders, sliders in said cylinders for operating said needles, those of the sliders in the plain cylinder associated with instep needles having short knitting butts and those associated with heel and toe needles having long knitting butts, a bottom cam box which surrounds the plain cylinder and incorporates a plain knitting cam system including forward and reverse clearing and stitch cams for causing plain needles to clear and knit, said cams being movable and adapted to be partially withdrawn at appropriate times to miss the short knitting butts, a movable cam which is provided in advance of the plain knitting cam system and is movable into and out of an operative position in the track of the knitting butts at substantially the knocking-over level, said cam when operative serving to direct the knitting butts into engagement with the forward clearing and stitch cams for circular knitting and, when moved out of the operative position preparatory to reciprocating knitting, allowing all of said butts to remain at the aforesaid level, and a picker system which functions to determine the positions of the needles in the heel and toe group during reciprocating knitting while the instep group of needles remain inactive in the knocking-over position.

5. In a, circular knitting machine adapted to operate with rotary reciprocatory motion as well as rotary motion, in combination, a plain needle cylinder, 9. superimposed rib needle cylinder, double-ended needles in said cylinders, sliders in said cylinders for operating said needles, the sliders in the plain cylinder being divided into two groups having knitting butts of respectively different lengths, a bottom cam box which surrounds the plain cylinder and incorporates a knitting cam system including forward and reverse clearing and stitch cams for causing plain needles to clear and knit, a movable cam which is provided in advance of the plain knitting cam system and is movable into and out of an operative position in the track of the knitting butts at substantially the knocking-over level, said cam when operative serving to direct the knitting butts into engagement with the forward clearing and stitch cams for circular knitting and, when moved out of the operative position preparatory to reciprocating knitting, allowing all of said butts to remain at the aforesaid level, individually movable jacks which are provided with butts for contact with the group of sliders in the plain cylinder employed for reciprocating knitting, upthrow cams which are arranged below the forward and reverse stitch cams and so formed as to be capable of engaging the butts of jacks pushed down as the result of sliders being disposed with corresponding needles in the knocking-over position and raising required jacks on forward and reverse strokes of reciprocating knitting suchwise that the knitting butts of the corresponding sliders are landed onto the forward and reverse clearing cams, a pair of narrowing pickers, one in advance of each upthrow cam, for the purpose of engaging the butts of desired jacks respectively on the aforesaid forward and reverse strokes of knitting and depressing said jacks one at a time to a lower level beneath the upthrow cams, a pair of raising cams circumferentially spaced from the upthrow cams and, between said raising cams, a widening picker adapted to engage the butts of the jacks at the lower level and to pick them up progressively on forward and reverse strokes of knitting so as to land them onto the raising cams and so result in restoration of the said jacks to their original level, all for the purposes herein described.

6, A circular knitting machine according to claim 5, wherein there is a pair of levelling cams arranged below the upthrow cams for engagement with the butts of those sliders picked down by the narrowing pickers suchwise as to maintain said jacks at the lower level during a narrowing action.

7. In a circular knitting machine adapted to ltAiiLto, mm mud tzildiCil HOOm operate with rotary reciprocatory motion as well as rotary motion, in combination, a plain needle cylinder, a superimposed rib needle cylinder, double-ended needles in said cylinders, sliders in said cylinders for operating said needles, the sliders in the plain cylinder being divided into two groups having knitting butts of respectively different lengths, a bottom cam box which surrounds the plain cylinder and incorporates a knitting cam system including forward and reverse clearing and sitch cams for causing plain needles to clear and knit, a movable cam which is provided in advance of the plain knitting cam system and is movable into and out of an operative position in the track of the knitting butts at substantially the knocking-over level, said cam when operative serving to direct the knitting butts into engagement with the forward clearing and stitch cams for circular knitting and, when moved out of the operative position preparatory to reciprocating knitting, allowing all of said butts to remain at the aforesaid level, picker jacks in association with the group of sliders in the plain cylinder employed for reciprocating knitting, said jacks being also adapted for use for patterning purposes, patterning jacks in association with the other group of sliders in said plain cylinder, patterning mechanism for selectively actuating sliders of both groups, narrowing and widening pickers for action upon said picker jacks, and cams in conjunction with which the pickers and picker jacks operate to efiect narrowing and widening actions, the construction and arrangement being such that said pickers function to move engaged picker jacks in relation to the last mentioned cams suchwise that needles corresponding with jacks afiected by the narrowing pickers are permitted to maintain the knocking-over position while the remaining needles of the appropriate group clear and knit, and, when the same jacks are affected by a widening picker, the corresponding needles are caused to resume knitting.

8. In a circular knitting machine of the kind adapted to operate with rotary reciprocatory motion, in combination, independent needles for use during reciprocating knitting, means for causing said needles to clear and knit, means for enabling all of said needles to assume substantially a knocking-over position preparatory to reciprocating knitting, jacks in association with the needles, narrowing and widening pickers for action upon said jacks, cams in conjunction with which the pickers and jacks operate to effect narrowing and widening actions, the construction and arrangement being such that said pickers function to move engaged jacks in relation to the last mentioned cams suchwise that needles corresponding with jacks ail'ected by the narrowing pickers are permitted to maintain the aforesaid knocking-over position while the remaining needles clear and knit, and, when the same jacks are aifected by a widening picker, the corresponding needles are caused to resume knitting, and a cam adapted normally to occupy a neutral position but capable of being moved to one position in which it will put all the jacks out of action and to another position in which it will direct all of said jacks to an active level, according to requirements.

9. In a circular knitting machine of the kind adapted to operate with rotary reciprocatory motion, in combination, a plain needle cylinder, an axially opposed rib needle cylinder, independent double-ended needles in said cylinders, sliders with knitting butts in said cylinders for operating said needles, means for causing the needles to clear and knit, means for enabling all of said needles to assume substantially a knocking-over position preparatory to reciprocating knitting, jacks located in the plain cylinder for contact with sliders engaged with needles which are to be employed for reciprocating knitting, narrowing and widening pickers for action upon said jacks, cams in conjunction with which the pickers and jacks operable for effecting narrowing and widening actions, the construction and arrangement being such that said pickers function to move engaged jacks in relation to the last mentioned cams suchwise that needles corresponding with jacks affected by the narrowing pickers are permitted to maintain the aforesaid knocking-over position while the remaining needles clear and knit, and, when the same jacks are affected by a widening picker, the corressponding needles are caused to resume knitting, a rib cam box surrounding the rib needle cylinder, a rib knitting cam system in said box, a cam which is movable into and out of an operative position in the track of the knitting butts of the sliders in said rib cylinder substantially at knocking-over level in advance of the rib knitting cam system, so that when in the operative position it directs the said butts onto the rib knitting cams and, when in the inoperative position, it permits the said butts to remain at the last mentioned level, all for the purposes herein described.

10. In a circular knitting machine adapted to operate with rotary reciprocatory motion as well as rotary motion, in combination, a plain needle cylinder, a superimposed rib needle cylinder, double-ended needles in said cylinders, sliders in said cylinders for operating said needles, the sliders in the plain cylinder being divided into two groups having knitting butts of respectively different lengths, a bottom cam box which surrounds the plain cylinder and incorporates a knitting cam system including forward and reverse clearing and stitch cams for causing plain needles to clear and knit, a movable cam which is provided in advance of the plain knitting cam system and is movable into and out of an operative position in the track of the knitting butts at substantially the knocking-over level, said cam when operative serving to direct the knitting butts into engagement with the forward clearing and stitch cams for circular knitting and, when moved out of the operative position preparatory to reciprocating knitting,allowing all of said butts to remain at the aforesaid level, picker jacks in association with the group of sliders in the plain cylinder employed for reciprocating knitting, patterning jacks in association with the other group of sliders in said plain cylinder, every one of said jacks having a springy stem furnished with an operating butt, pressers which have contrasting patterning butt formations thereon and are located in front of the springy stems for pressing the latter back, a bank of suitably operated selecting cams for action selectively upon the patterning butt formations, an operating cam for engagement with the operating .butts and in relation to which the springy stems are pressed back, narrowing and widening pickers for action upon said picker jacks, and cams in conjunction with which the pickers and picker jacks operate to eflect narrowing and widening actions, the construction and arrangement being such that said pickers function to move engaged picker jacks in relation to the last mentioned cams suchwise that needles corresponding with jacks affected by the narrowing pickers are permitted to maintain the knocking-over position while the remaining needles of the appropriate group clear and knit, and, when the same jacks are affected by a widening picker, the corresponding needles are caused to resume knitting.

11. For a circular knitting machine of the kind furnished with picker mechanism for automatilevers which are pivotally mounted upon said bracket and between which a portion of the picker extends, a pin on the bracket, adjusting screws carried by the levers and the leading ends of which are arranged for contact with said pin, and spring means tending to urge said levers towards each other and into contact with said picker so that movement of the latter to one side or the other will take place against spring accally narrowing and widening fabric produced by 10 tion.

reciprocating knitting, a unit comprising, in combination, a picker bracket, a picker which is mounted to swing upon said bracket, a pair of HENRY HAROLD HOLMES. ALFRED PERCY SAUNDERS. 

